DUNEDIN – The Dunedin Blue Jays annual Fan Appreciation Night, set for Friday, Aug. 31, will feature a fundraiser to support a member of the Blue Jays family in dire need of assistance.
Omar Malave was manager of the Dunedin Blue Jays for six years (2004-2009) and has since managed the Gulf Coast League Blue Jays who also make their home in Dunedin. He has been a member of the Blue Jays organization for 31 years, and he and his family are in need of some assistance.
Malave’s 17-month-old granddaughter, Elisse, needs open heart surgery, and the family is trying to raise funds to help her get the care she needs.
“What makes their situation all the more tragic is that Elisse lost a brother, Eli (just 2 years old himself), last year,” a Jay’s press release said.
The game will feature a silent auction, 50/50 raffle, mystery ball raffle, and post-game launch-a-ball – and the money raised throughout the night will all go directly to support Elisse’s medical expenses.
Tickets for the game are just $6, gates open at 5:30, and the first 500 fans will receive a limited edition Darold Knowles “then and now” bobblehead. Knowles, the Blue Jays pitching coach, is a World Series Champion, three times, and a member of the Florida State League Hall of Fame.
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